Split Tickets25 Mar 2026

Choo Choo vs Trainline: who sells the cheapest split train tickets?

Written by

Alfie Willis

Founder of Choo Choo

Choo Choo vs Trainline The headline result Full results: all 22 routes Why was Choo Choo cheaper? Methodology Ready to try Choo Choo?

Choo Choo vs Trainline

We tested Choo Choo against Trainline across 22 of the most popular UK train routes. Every search used identical parameters. Here is what we found.

The headline result

Choo Choo was cheaper on 18 out of 22 routes (82%). Trainline was cheaper on 1 route (5%).

3 routes returned the same price on both apps giving Choo Choo the cheapest or joint-cheapest prices on 21/22 (95%) routes.

The biggest single saving was £25.23 on Plymouth → Oxford where Choo Choo found a cheaper split ticket combination than Trainline.

Full results: all 22 routes

Route	Choo Choo	Trainline	Choo Choo Difference
Birmingham New Street → Newcastle	£32.80	£35.39	7% cheaper
Liverpool James Street → Shrewsbury	£19.51	£23.24	16% cheaper
Peterborough → Carlisle	£57.44	£59.29	3% cheaper
Nottingham → London St Pancras	£44.05	£45.49	3% cheaper
Plymouth → Edinburgh Waverley	£60.90	£60.90	Same
Brighton → London Victoria	£24.40	£25.39	4% cheaper
Liverpool Lime Street → Southampton Central	£74.47	£95.39	22% cheaper
Plymouth → Oxford	£46.26	£71.49	35% cheaper
Bedford → London St Pancras	£19.68	£20.09	2% cheaper
Leeds → Hull	£8.50	£9.09	6% cheaper
Bristol Temple Meads → Leeds	£51.96	£51.99	0.1% cheaper
London Kings Cross → Edinburgh Waverley	£68.85	£89.29	23% cheaper
Preston → Chester	£13.20	£16.34	19% cheaper
Birmingham New Street → Peterborough	£10.20	£10.20	Same
Cardiff Central → Sheffield	£45.60	£45.60	Same
Manchester Piccadilly → Coventry	£22.28	£22.29	1p (0.05%) cheaper
Reading → Stoke-on-Trent	£26.87	£41.89	36% cheaper
Manchester Victoria → Leeds	£13.00	£13.59	4% cheaper
Edinburgh Waverley → Leicester	£71.75	£81.09	12% cheaper
Nottingham → Glasgow Central	£62.02	£57.49	7% more expensive
York → Aberdeen	£62.99	£79.09	20% cheaper
Liverpool → Newcastle	£41.31	£42.29	2% cheaper

*Each search was made on 15th January 2026 for travel on 1st February 2026, using the same parameters: a single ticket for one adult, no railcard, closest available departure to 8am.

Why was Choo Choo cheaper?

Two main reasons: split ticketing and booking fees. Choo Choo automatically checks whether buying two or more tickets covering the same journey works out cheaper than a standard through-fare. You travel on the same train throughout. The app does the checking for you.

Trainline also charges a booking fee on many journeys, typically between 59p and £2.79, depending on the route, ticket type, and when you book. You can see their full fee structure on the Trainline fees page. Choo Choo never charges a booking fee. Trainline was cheaper on 1 route in our test. On routes where prices were identical, both apps are sourcing the same regulated fare with no split ticket saving available.

Methodology

All 22 searches were made simultaneously on 15th January 2026 for travel on 1st February 2026. Each search used a single ticket for one adult with no railcard, using the closest available departure to 8am. Prices include all fees. Full results are published here.

Ready to try Choo Choo?

Choo Choo is free to download on iOS and Android, and available on the web at choochoo.co.uk. No booking fees. Split ticketing checked automatically on every search.

Choo Choo vs Trainline vs TrainPal vs Uber: Best Train Booking App in 2026

We tested Choo Choo, Trainline, TrainPal, and Uber across 22 UK train routes to find out which app offers the cheapest tickets. The result: Choo Choo offered the best or joint-best price on 68% of journeys, with 7 outright wins. Trainline had none. Here’s the full breakdown.